SAN FRANCISCO — The world is witnessing something extraordinary. For three days, the United States and Israel have thrown everything they have at Iran in what military officials have aggressively dubbed Operation Epic Fury. Over 2,000 strikes have ripped across the nation. Missile sites were bombed. Vital infrastructure has been battered. And in the most shocking blow of the initial barrage, a revered leader was assassinated, confirming that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed in the opening hours of the campaign.
And yet, Iran is still standing. Still fighting. Still hitting back.
What Washington and Tel Aviv expected to be a quick, surgical operation designed to trigger regime change in Iran has instead turned into a spiraling quagmire. Iran's missiles are raining down on US bases across the Gulf. Its drones are striking oil refineries in Saudi Arabia. Its allies in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq are mobilizing. For the first time in decades, the so-called "American umbrella" over the Middle East is looking more like a leaky roof.
Latest Updates: Cyber Warfare, Economic Panic, and Unyielding Defiance
The situation on the ground continues to deteriorate rapidly for Western forces as Iran accelerates its multi-domain response.
- Massive Cyber Offensives: Reports are flooding in that major grids across Tel Aviv and Haifa are experiencing rolling blackouts. Experts suggest Iranian Revolutionary Guard strikes are now extending into cyberspace, paralyzing critical Israeli civilian infrastructure.
- China's Stark Warning: Beijing has officially entered the diplomatic fray. Condemning the US strikes, Chinese diplomats warned that any further destabilization could lead to a global economic depression, specifically citing severe Strait of Hormuz threats and demanding immediate de-escalation to protect global trade.
- Domestic US Pushback Grows: Following the tragic friendly fire incident Kuwait, protests are erupting across major American cities. Citizens are demanding transparency regarding the escalating US Central Command casualties, rejecting the narrative that this war will make America safer.
Surviving Operation Epic Fury: The Failure of Regime Change
When the Iran war officially kicked off, Western intelligence heavily banked on a devastating internal collapse. They anticipated that with Khamenei dead, a chaotic power struggle Tehran would paralyze the Islamic Republic from within. They were dead wrong.
The transition of power regarding the Khamenei death succession Iran process was managed with swift, unified military precision. Rather than fracture, the nation closed ranks. Bader al-Saif, assistant professor at Kuwait University, put it bluntly in an interview with Al Jazeera: Iran's leadership is fighting a war of existence.
"This has been an issue since the beginnings of the Islamic Republic," he said. For decades, Gulf states managed to coexist with Iran's revolutionary ideology—despite meddling in internal affairs, proxy activities, and occasional wars. But this moment is vastly different.
"We've reached a point in which they're raising the ante to unprecedented levels," al-Saif said. For Gulf states, this is now "a broaching of sovereignty," not a mere dispute over US bases.
What al-Saif didn't say—but what every analyst in the region understands—is that the US Iran strikes triggered an absolute survival instinct. You cannot assassinate a head of state and expect silence. You cannot bomb civilian centers and expect compliance. You cannot kill over 500 Iranians across 131 locations and expect submission. The Islamic Republic has never bowed to pressure. It will not start now.
The Myth of American Protection
For decades, Gulf states hosted American bases under one assumption: that the United States would protect them in a crisis. That assumption is now in tatters.
An unnamed Saudi official told Al Jazeera what many in the region have suspected but few dared to say publicly: the United States pulled its air defenses from Gulf states to protect Israel instead. In Arabic, the official said:
"US Left Us to Burn": 🇸🇦 Saudi Official Blasts America for Abandoning Gulf Allies to Protect Israel
— Veo Prompt (@VeoPrompt) March 2, 2026
An Saudi official told Al Jazeera that the United States pulled its air defense from Gulf states to protect Israel instead.
In the video, he says in Arabic:
"الدفاع الأمريكي… pic.twitter.com/XlfbzFQ2yv
Translation:
"American defense is focused on Israel, not the Gulf states where so many military bases are located. No question about it—in my view, there's definitely a kind of Gulf frustration with the ally, or partner if we're being precise. The American partner is focused on Israel's security, Israel's stability, and the safety of its people, while ignoring the defense needs of the Arab Gulf states that are being targeted by Iran right now."
Saudi's Ras Tanura oil refinery was hit by an Iranian drone. The strike caused a temporary shutdown after interception. But the message was clear: nowhere is safe if Iran decides to respond. With Saudi Arabia realizing the US abandoned Gulf bases to protect Tel Aviv, the geopolitical trust in the region is permanently broken.
And why shouldn't Iran respond? Gulf states host the very bases from which American jets take off to bomb Iranian cities. They provide logistical support for the killing of Iranian leaders. They are, whether they admit it or not, part of the war effort. Iran's strikes are not aggression. They are self-defense. And every Gulf capital that hosts American troops knows it.
The Gulf in the Crosshairs: Retaliation Takes Flight
The chaos of this fractured defense network has had lethal consequences for American troops. In a tragic illustration of the fog of war, sources confirmed a massive friendly fire disaster. During a panicked scramble to intercept incoming ballistic missile attacks Gulf installations were facing, US F-15 jets crash Kuwait friendly fire protocols failed, leading to a catastrophic mid-air collision. The Pentagon has somberly confirmed that three US service members killed in Kuwait were victims of their own side's disarray.
Wave after wave of Gulf missile attacks have proven that Iran is capable of bypassing modern defense tiers, heavily crippling logistics for the American military.
Lebanon Bleeds: Hezbollah Rockets Israel After Khamenei's Death
While the world focused heavily on the Gulf, the true scale of the multi-front war erupted in the Levant. Operating under the banner of the Axis of Resistance Hezbollah wasted no time. Enraged, Hezbollah rockets Israel after Khamenei was killed, ending a fragile year-long truce and pouring fire into the northern territories.
In response, Israel executed Operation Roaring Lion Israel, a brutal counter-offensive aimed at wiping out Hezbollah's infrastructure. Airstrikes flattened the southern suburbs of Beirut. The Israeli army ordered residents out of 18 villages in southern Lebanon. Lebanese health officials report at least 31 killed and over 140 wounded.
But Israel's message of deterrence has failed. The fight has just begun. Hezbollah Israel skirmishes are escalating into full-blown urban warfare. From Lebanon to Yemen to Iraq, the so-called "proxy networks" Washington spent years trying to dismantle are now proving their lethal worth.
Western Panic: Evacuations, Vetoes, and Domestic Outrage
Internationally, the diplomatic front is a disaster. During a heated UN Security Council Iran debate, Russia's Foreign Ministry issued a rare statement calling for an immediate halt to hostilities. "We advocate the immediate cessation of hostilities by all parties," the ministry stated, a voice of reason drowned out by Western vetoes.
Meanwhile, Europe is scrambling. In a telling development, Paris announced an emergency evacuation French nationals Gulf operation, while simultaneously offering France defense support Gulf nations Iran. However, the subsequent E3 France Germany UK statement condemning Iran's "indiscriminate" attacks revealed their true hand: they are not protecting Gulf sovereignty, they are protecting Western interests.
Back in Washington, the political narrative is entirely unraveling. President Trump confidently stated that the Trump Iran war would be a quick sweep. "Trump says Iran war could last four weeks, maybe less," echoed through the press briefing room. But the American public isn't buying it. Senator Bernie Sanders took to the Senate floor to denounce the escalation, coining a phrase that is now dominating social media as he aggressively called out the Bernie Sanders Trump Iran lie—the false promise of a bloodless, quick victory.
The Nuclear Red Line and Global Economic Shock
One of the most dangerous aspects of this conflict is the nuclear question. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made America's position clear, heavily criticizing the 2015 nuclear agreement and vowing to cripple Tehran's capabilities. Yet, while rumors circulate that nuclear facilities Iran damaged heavily in the strikes, Zeidon Alkinani, a Middle East politics lecturer at Georgetown University in Qatar, warned that pushing Iran too far could trigger the unthinkable.
Iran has historically presented itself as a responsible player regarding international inspections. But how long can any nation show restraint while its leaders are killed and its cities bombed? If Iran ever does seek nuclear weapons, it will be because Washington and Tel Aviv left it no other choice.
The economic shockwaves are already hitting home. With the constant threat of retaliation paralyzing commercial shipping, we are seeing massive oil prices spike Middle East, threatening to trigger a global recession. Turkiye has canceled all flights to Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon until Friday. Travel is disrupted. Families are separated. This is what war looks like.
Conclusion: The Axis Stands
Three days into the US-Israel War on Iran, the balance is clear.
- Aggression Unchecked: The US and Israel have thrown their most advanced weapons at Iran, assassinated the Supreme Leader, and bombed over 2,000 targets in a failed attempt at regime change.
- Fierce Retaliation: Despite the air onslaught, Iran is actively launching devastating ballistic missile attacks on the Gulf, shutting down Saudi refineries, and launching cyber offensives.
- The American Umbrella Fails: With Gulf states realizing the US abandoned their defense to protect Israel, the illusion of American regional protection is permanently shattered.
- Military Disasters: The war effort is chaotic, highlighted by the tragic US F-15 jets crashing in Kuwait due to friendly fire that left three American troops dead.
- Unbroken Resolve: The Islamic Republic has survived decades of sanctions, cyberattacks, and covert operations. It stands tall and refuses to bow. The Axis of Resistance is real.
Reporting by NewsIQ Editors. Additional inputs from Al Jazeera, Reuters, and Associated Press.
JPhilips 
